Hizb ut-Tahrir position on Afghanistan leads to renewed calls to outlaw group

Controversial Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir will be encouraging armed resistance against Scandinavian soldiers at a debate meeting about the war in Afghanistan in January.

The invitation to the meeting at the Royal Library in Copenhagen showed photographs of Danish, Swedish and Norwegian coffins on a map of Afghanistan.

According to the invitation, the debate will “focus on the duty of armed resistance for Muslims in Afghanistan and surrounding nations. We see this form of resistance as entirely legitimate. In this context, the authorities’ attempts to criminalise and intimidate all war opponents will also be highlighted”.

Chadi Freigeh, a spokesperson for the organisation’s Scandinavian branches, said he did not consider the message offensive.

“If anyone should be blamed for the Danish soldiers that are dying in vain in this war, it’s the Danish politicians who have cold heartedly sent them out on a mission that only serves American strategic interests in the region,” Freigeh told public broadcaster DR.

Hizb ut-Tahrir has a reputation for urging its members to overthrow their governments, and instead introduce a religious Sharia law. Several countries have banned the organisation, and Denmark has attempted to do the same.

Representatives from the Danish People’s Party and the Social Democrats said officials should continue to look into whether the group is can be considered illegal.

“Hizb ut-Tahrir has been embarrassing Denmark for too long for this kind of thing. Now they’re really playing dirty,” Danish People’s Party MP Martin Henriksen said.

Social Democrat MP Karin Hækkerup said the group’s message and the pictures on the invitation made her feel “uncomfortable”.

“But as long as the organisation is not banned, we have to respect that it’s an association that is allowed to exist and meet,” said Hækkerup.